Thursday, December 11, 2008

JOHANNESBURG – According to sources, ministers from the Southern African Development Council (SADC) are due to meet on December 11 to discuss the recent outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe that has claimed almost 600 lives and infected 12,000 people nationwide. The outbreak has been deemed a national disaster and concerns are growing over the spread of the disease into neighbouring countries as people continue to flee hunger and persecution in Zimbabwe.

According to a spokesperson from the South African health department, the ministers are health and water representatives from the SADC troika from South Africa, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. The spokesperson gave no further details on the meeting but South African broadcasters have referred to it as ‘an emergency meeting.’

South Africa has sent a team of experts into Zimbabwe to determine the need for humanitarian assistance and it is hoped that the visit will push political leaders into action.....